Nissan to Kill at Least 10% of Global Lineup Beginning 2022

Nissan announced it is planning to cut at least 10 percent of its global lineup along with 12,500 jobs in the next few years. The automaker also confirmed that beginning March 2022, it will channel its efforts mainly on small vehicles.

Aside from the Nissan models, also affected by the looming product cuts are the brand’s Infiniti luxury division as well as the Datsun brand.

In the United States market, these cuts could mean Nissan could kill cars from its lineup and focus on crossovers instead. But according to AutoPacific analyst Ed Kim who spoke with Automotive News, the cuts exclude the new Versa, because of its appeal to price-sensitive buyers.

The most likely candidate to be discontinued in the U.S. among Nissan’s sedans is the Maxima, which has seen a decline in significance since the Altima was launched as a mid-size sedan. If the Altima doesn’t get cut, it looks like the Maxima could be converted into an electric vehicle, which Nissan is planning to launch eight different types of in the coming years.

Along with cars, sports coupes are also likely to get the axe due to low demand. In particular, Nissan’s decade-old 370Z and the Inifiniti Q60 could be among the first to be dropped with their sales plummeting by 35.8 percent and 48.8 percent, respectively, year to date.

Another model that’s clinging on to dear life is the Titan pickup, which has recorded a steady sales decline.

“If Nissan decides it doesn’t want to play in that segment because it can’t be competitive, the Titan nameplate could go,” Jeff Schuster, president of global forecasting at LMC Automotive, told Automotive News.

But prior to the announcement, Nissan has already made cuts on other models deemed unprofitable such as the Versa Note and the Juke. Both models will be replaced by the Nissan Kicks in America in the hopes of giving the brand an attainable and budget-friendly crossover.